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Animals will be animals - don't read after breakfast
Posted: Thu Mar 07, 2013 5:19 pm
by Scotts1au
I have a large outdoor enclosure with numerous Alpine Blotched blueys.
The other day I threw an uneaten chicken carcass in there - because they generally love a good pick - strangely this time they didn't eat any of it. I suppose because it had been cooked with a little lemon.
Anyway the flies moved in and i had a rotten carcass in the cage - I had to pick it up and move it (eeek) to dispose of it -yeh maggots, lots of rotten stuff. Today I went back to the enclosure to dig up the soil where it had been and clean up the enclosure. Only to find two of the blueys digging up the spot where the carcass had been and eating rotten stuffing and digging for maggots. They were totally unpeterbed by the stink or the fact that they were happily eating - who knows what.
This is the first time in how many years that I've seen them eating truly rotten stuff. Note they had a bowl of high quality dog food nearby and were eating gross stuff in preference.
Re: Animals will be animals - don't read after breakfast
Posted: Thu Mar 07, 2013 5:37 pm
by Jeff
Not sure what that says about your culinary skills Scott. If I ever do come to visit, I may stop at McDonalds on the way though.
Re: Animals will be animals - don't read after breakfast
Posted: Thu Mar 07, 2013 5:46 pm
by Scotts1au
There is one not too far away
Re: Animals will be animals - don't read after breakfast
Posted: Thu Mar 07, 2013 7:24 pm
by Katrina
Jeff wrote:Not sure what that says about your culinary skills Scott. If I ever do come to visit, I may stop at McDonalds on the way though.
Haha - funny! I wonder if rooting around for maggots was more fun that eating dog food? Kind of like a well fed house cat that kills something to play with it? Maybe it wast more for sport / entertainment than nutrition purposes.
Re: Animals will be animals - don't read after breakfast
Posted: Thu Mar 07, 2013 7:31 pm
by Hazeee
Strange how they didn't mind the rotting stuff..
On a good note, I just saw one of my skinks eat for the first time since I got them.
Re: Animals will be animals - don't read after breakfast
Posted: Fri Mar 08, 2013 8:02 pm
by Zalder
Maybe they just wanted the live food or something.
Sounds like an experience though
Re: Animals will be animals - don't read after breakfast
Posted: Sat Mar 09, 2013 10:28 am
by Lea
When I had my chickens, they used to hop into the enclosure from time to time, leaving steaming little fragrant gifts behind them. The shinglebacks found this a bit of a delicacy, much to my disgust, even with plenty of gleaming fresh food not too far away. Once I had the big enclosure built, the chickens couldn't get in, which solved the problem, but I'm sure they must do similar in the wild.
I've seen them on road kill before now, out in the desert areas- not complete with a maggot fest, but still way past what I'd put on the BBQ.
This is a gross, yet beautiful story, Scott! It's intriguing to think how their minds work. I am imagining them all cruising past the maggoty bloop, then ambling up to yours ... then making a conscious decision to return to the gloop!
Re: Animals will be animals - don't read after breakfast
Posted: Sat Mar 09, 2013 1:44 pm
by dsteamn
When walking around the yard with me, mine have often gone after presents the dog left behind. I have never had maggots in the outdoor enclosure. However, I caught one of mine licking a row of ants one afternoon. She watched while the line filled in and then lapped up another mouthful. I don't know how long she did it, but she sure did enjoy them.
Re: Animals will be animals - don't read after breakfast
Posted: Sun Mar 10, 2013 1:49 pm
by Richard.C
ive come across a few wild ones having a feast on dried dogs poop,never seen maggots being munched but blotchies dont mind there food moving,lol,probably thought ot was christmas again